Escaped inmate found

Jan 09, 2018

BY Spencer Durham - sdurham@chronicle-tribune.com

An inmate who escaped from an inmate work crew last week was found and taken into custody on Saturday night.

Brandon R. Kinder, 33, slipped away from an inmate work crew on Friday in south Marion around 1:30 p.m. Capt. Todd Fleece, detective of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, said Kinder slipped away when a deputy’s back was turned. The captain said the work crew was near 30th and Gallatin streets helping load food supplies.

Kyle Beal, detective of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, said authorities were able to locate Kinder due to information they received via Crime Stoppers. The detective said someone reported seeing Kinder get into a vehicle on 38th Street, between Nebraska and Washington streets.

Kinder was taken back into custody around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Beal said.

Though it doesn’t happen often, Fleece said, escaped inmates are usually found quickly. Kinder was not considered dangerous and was taken into custody without a struggle, Beal said.

The Fowlerton man was originally in jail on drug and theft related charges that stemmed from a November 2017 incident. Police say Kinder led them on a short pursuit following a fight at the Marion Steak ‘n Shake. Kinder was spotted at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Marion a little while later. When Capt. Chris Butche approached the vehicle, Kinder sped off, jumping the curb in the parking lot and onto Western Avenue and headed south before turning onto 17th Street.

He was eventually located underneath some brush near 17th Street.

Police said he was uncooperative and was tased.

The getaway vehicle had been reported stolen prior to the incident, investigators said. A backpack was found near Kinder’s location that night which contained paraphernalia consistent with heroin use and a debit card belonging to the person who had originally reported the vehicle stolen.

Fleece said all prisoners are thoroughly screened before being placed on an inmate work crew. The Sheriff’s Department makes sure to not assign felons and dangerous felons to them, that way if an inmate does escape they are not a danger to the community, he explained.

“It’s unfortunate we have a guy do this because it puts a black eye on the program that does a lot of good,” Fleece said.